Sweden security-risk properties could be forcibly acquired by the state under a new legal proposal aimed at preventing espionage, sabotage and other threats linked to sensitive locations.
The Swedish government has appointed an inquiry to examine whether the state should be able to compulsorily acquire land, homes or other properties when ownership is assessed as a possible risk to national security. The proposal comes as Stockholm continues to adapt its laws and institutions to a deteriorating security environment after Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and Sweden’s entry into NATO.
Why Sweden wants new powers over risky property ownership
At present, Swedish authorities cannot expropriate property solely on national security grounds. The government now wants to change that, arguing that certain properties could be used as bases for intelligence gathering, sabotage planning or other activities directed against Sweden.
Minister for Defence (Försvarsminister) Pål Jonson said the measure would give the state a new tool to stop people from using property to plan sabotage or spy on Sweden. The proposed framework would apply regardless of citizenship, meaning Swedish citizens as well as foreign nationals could be affected if the ownership is judged to pose a threat.
The inquiry is expected to present its proposals by 15 March 2027. Any new law would then have to be assessed against Sweden’s constitutional protection of property rights and the European Convention on Human Rights.
The Västerås church case has shaped the debate
The issue has gained visibility through a long-running dispute over a Russian Orthodox church near Västerås airport, a site that local authorities and national officials have viewed through a security lens because of its proximity to sensitive infrastructure.
SVT has described similar properties as potential “Trojan horses”: land or buildings near strategically important places that could, in a crisis, be used for surveillance, influence operations or preparations hostile to Swedish interests.
The government’s proposal is preventive. It does not require authorities to prove that espionage has already taken place, but would focus on whether a property holding could become a security risk.
Property rights will be a central legal test
The planned measure would touch one of the strongest protections in Swedish law: the right to property. Jonson has acknowledged that any legislation must respect both the Swedish constitution and the European Convention on Human Rights, while maintaining what he described as a reasonable balance between individual rights and national security.
That balance is likely to be the core legal and political question. A broad compulsory purchase power could strengthen Sweden’s ability to act before a threat materialises. At the same time, it would require clear criteria, independent review and compensation rules to avoid arbitrary or disproportionate decisions.
For international readers, the Swedish debate reflects a wider shift in Northern Europe: security policy is increasingly moving beyond military spending and intelligence reform into areas such as land ownership, infrastructure, ports, energy assets and local planning.
Social Democrats want stricter rules for sensitive land sales
The opposition Social Democrats (Socialdemokraterna) also want tighter rules, but have placed particular emphasis on preventing the state from selling land in sensitive locations.
Their defence policy spokesperson Peter Hultqvist has argued that Sweden should not sell state-owned land in strategically important archipelago areas without a security policy assessment. The concern includes areas such as Öja, also known as Landsort, south of Stockholm, where sold plots could later end up under ownership considered problematic.
The Social Democrats have also called for the possibility of reclaiming or compulsorily acquiring sensitive properties. Hultqvist said that Russian and Belarusian interests on Swedish land must be stopped, framing the issue as part of Sweden’s broader response to hostile activity in Europe.
Sweden follows a wider Nordic and Baltic security trend
Sweden’s proposal fits into a broader Nordic and Baltic pattern. Finland has already moved to restrict Russian property purchases on national security grounds, while Latvia and Lithuania have introduced or strengthened restrictions linked to Russian and Belarusian citizens. Estonia is also preparing tighter rules for Russian and Belarusian citizens without permanent residency.
These measures differ in scope. Some countries focus on future purchases by citizens of Russia and Belarus. Sweden’s proposed approach would be broader in one key respect: it would target security-risk property ownership regardless of the owner’s nationality.
The change reflects how Sweden’s security agencies now describe the threat environment. The Swedish Security Service (Säkerhetspolisen) has warned that Russia remains the greatest threat to Sweden and that sabotage and other hybrid activities could also occur on Swedish territory.
A new security doctrine for land and infrastructure
The proposal marks another step in Sweden’s post-neutrality security transformation. Since joining NATO, Sweden has expanded defence spending, strengthened intelligence structures and placed greater emphasis on resilience against hybrid threats.
Compulsory acquisition of security-risk properties would extend that logic to the real estate sector. If adopted, the law would give the state a stronger preventive tool, but also create a sensitive test of how far democratic governments can go in limiting property rights in the name of security.
The debate is likely to continue beyond the inquiry deadline in 2027, especially as Sweden and its Nordic neighbours seek to protect ports, airfields, archipelagos, border regions and other strategic assets from hostile influence.
